Maria Magdalene Tatar (born May 13, 1945)[1] is an American academic whose expertise lies in children's literature, German literature, and folklore.[4][5] She is the John L. Loeb Professor of Germanic Languages and Literatures, and Chair of the Committee on Degrees in Folklore and Mythology at Harvard University.[5]
Maria Tatar | |
---|---|
Born | 1945 (age 79–80) Pressath, Germany[1] |
Nationality | American |
Citizenship | US (naturalized 1956)[1] |
Alma mater | |
Occupation(s) | Academic, writer |
Known for | Books on mythology and folklore |
Spouse |
Stephen A. Schuker (div. 1989) |
Children | Lauren Schuker (daughter) Daniel Schuker (son)[3] |
Maria Tatar was born in Pressath, Germany.[1] Her family emigrated from Hungary to the United States in the 1950s when she was a child.[7]
She grew up in Highland Park, Illinois and graduated from Highland Park High School in 1963.[3]
Tatar earned an undergraduate degree from Denison University and a doctoral degree from Princeton University.[3][8] In 1971, after finishing her doctorate at Princeton University, Tatar joined the faculty of Harvard University. She received tenure in 1978.[3] She lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts.